The Network of Women in Media, India has released a statement denouncing the media trial being carried out by some television news channels in the Sushant Singh Rajput case.
The statement starts with the observation that the case has dominated primetime news for almost a month at the cost of other important issues such as the floods in Bihar, rising job losses, the state of the economy and a raging pandemic in the country.
The coverage of the case has been described as smacking of “crass sensationalism and voyeurism, with TV news channels setting up kangaroo courts to declare individuals guilty even as an investigation is ongoing.”
While upholding the media’s right to cover a case in the public interest the statement insists that “reporting should be carried out respecting journalistic norms of fairness, balance, impartiality and factual accuracy. The media must be mindful of its power to shape public opinion and remain alert and responsible in its reportage”.
The NWMI has demanded that the media end the media trial of Rhea Chakraborty and let investigating authorities do their job freely and fairly. “Journalists cannot and must not call for her arrest before the agencies finish their probe. It should be noted that at this juncture of the investigation—when there is not even a charge sheet in place—journalists cannot declare individuals guilty,” it reads.
It also calls for respecting the privacy of individuals, including that of the deceased Rajput. “It is distressing to find channels leaking out details of his mental health when these details are clearly not meant for public consumption.
The statement draws on research published in Lancet stating that 197.3 million Indians suffer from mental health issues, including 45.7 million with depressive disorders and 44.9 million with anxiety disorders.
“In such a scenario, the media plays a huge role in shaping society’s response to mental health issues. It is extremely irresponsible for channels to make erroneous statements on depression and its symptoms. TV news anchors should immediately stop the guesswork on the state of Sushant Singh Rajput’s mental health.. news anchors are requested to use their reach to start a responsible dialogue on mental health issues with doctors and experts in the field.”
The statement also calls for putting an end to the several conspiracy theories that have been doing rounds. “Journalists must carry out due diligence and not mindlessly give space to conspiracy theories from social media,” it reads.
The statement also calls for an end to harassment around Chakraborty's apartment complex.
“A delivery man and a guard at the apartment complex were relentlessly hounded by reporters, who made a mockery of the exercise of newsgathering. Editors and proprietors should note that they are party to this degeneration of TV news as a medium, and restore basic human decency to the profession,” it reads.
